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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

North Carolina Bishop Tries To Remove Knife From BackFilm at 11

Not exactly a big shocker that a Catholic bishop would have a hack... oops, I mean reporter from the secular media look for every questionable quote (during an entire lifetime) from any given priest. But then again, liberals believe that if anyone even has the audacity to even question the legitimacy and correctness of sodomy, they've committed the gravest of sins against the gods of political correctness.

It's quite another to have a Catholic bishop so publicly be challenged from some of his own priests.

I'll touch on the hatchet job done by the newspaper guy, but I'll emphasize on the Quislings that attempt to pass themselves off as Catholics. Here's some of the article from the Raleigh News & Observer; (Emphasis and comments mine)Ministry begins for gays, lesbiansChapter of Courage support group aimed at men, women who want to remain celibateBy Yonat ShimronMcClatchy NewspapersSunday, February 22, 2009

RALEIGH — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh is starting a new ministry to gays and lesbians. Yet those who have embraced that identity may not like it. (Popularity, isn't that one of the Meatitudes that Jesus taught us?)

The ministry is called Courage, and its aim, in the words of its executive director, is to "assist men and women who are afflicted with the thorn of same-sex attraction." A 29-year-old international ministry with about 90 U.S. chapters, the Courage Apostolate will serve as a kind of support group, like Alcoholics Anonymous, for men and women who want to remain celibate. (Good for Bishop Burbidge for initiating this. This is exactly what this diocese needs. Especially after the past few decades of ambiguity, if not flat-out in-your-face rejection of anything even remotely resembling orthodox Catholicism... from our own clerics and Religious.)

The move is part of a more aggressive push by the dioceses of Raleigh and Charlotte to march in step with the Vatican on the issue of homosexuality. (Ohhh.... dontchta just love that objective reporting? Images of Nazis goosestepping up and down the boulevard, huh? You don't think this distorter, oops, I mean reporter, as an agenda, do you? Nahhhh....)

On Tuesday, the bishops of both dioceses will hold a news conference at the legislature to announce their support for an amendment to the state's constitution defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman. The effort is intended to quash the possibility of same-sex marriage, should a court find North Carolina's law prohibiting gay unions unconstitutional. (And? Oh... loyal Catholics don't have free speech anymore. I see now.)

Nationally, there are several gay and lesbian ministries — some that accept gays and lesbians as they are, others such as Courage that view homosexuality as a problem to be overcome. (Notice how subtly the distorter nuances this sentence? That almost gives the impression that The Catholic Church gives legitimacy to active homosexuals. Don't you love the liberal press?)

Though retired Raleigh Bishop F. Joseph Gossman chose not to wade into this thorny thicket, his successor, Bishop Michael Burbidge, is more eager to conform to the Vatican line. (No, Bp. Burbidge isn't "conforming" to a damn thing. He's acting like a bishop of the Holy Catholic Church. What a refreshing change. Oh, and there is no "thorny thicket", but a pastoral concern that requires courage and leadership, not whimpering lip-service.)

The late Pope John Paul II endorsed the work of Courage. More recently, Pope Benedict XVI reiterated the implacable opposition of the church to homosexuality. The Vatican refused to back a United Nations resolution urging the banning of criminal penalties against homosexuality. Last year, the Vatican urged seminaries to enlist the aid of psychologists in screening candidates for homosexuality and other "psychic disturbances." (A man wanting to root around in another man's feces filled colon? Yeah, I'd qualify that as a "psychic disturbance".)

The Rev. James Fukes, pastor of St. Julia Catholic Church in Siler City, N.C., who will serve as the spiritual director for Courage, said the new ministry was added at the request of parishioners. (Ohhhh... you mean the laity actually REQUESTED this??!! Notice how it's glazed over.)

"There have been some people who asked for some ministry by the Catholic Church to help them deal with the challenges and difficulties they have and remain close to God," he said. (How very Catholic.)

Still, several priests expressed concern about the new ministry. (Aw, bullshit. I know the difference between concern, and diplomatically stating "go to hell, Your Excellency" when I see it.)

"I know the Courage move is an effort to include people of gay orientation in the Catholic community," said the Rev. Joseph Vetter, Catholic chaplain at Duke University. "I'm concerned it may be read by some gay Catholics as not accepting of who they are." (Bingo.)

Gay and lesbian Catholics said they too are waiting to see how the new ministry will affect their lives. (Oh, golly. Maybe help save their souls? Ya think? Hold on... me thinks the Church of the Sacred Orgasm is about to rear it's psychically disturbed head.)

One diocesan church, St. Francis of Assisi in northwest Raleigh, has an active gay and lesbian ministry but takes a different tack: to welcome gays and lesbians "into full participation in the faith community," according to its Web site, www.stfrancisglbt.org. (Strike One.)

"Its purpose is not to change their orientation, but to help them find a place in the community," said Gladys Whitehouse, coordinator of family life ministry at St. Francis. The group sponsors a supper during Lent and has an annual retreat, among other things. (Strike Two.)

Chuck Small, one of the group's leaders, said gays and lesbians are respected at St. Francis and serve as lectors and Eucharistic ministers. Small, a former editor at The News & Observerwho is openly gay, lives with his partner, Tom Attaway. (If a reporter can find this information out, I would think the priest(s) as St Francis would know this, as well. Wouldn't you? Do you somehow get the feeling that certain "Catholic" priests are overtly making the public statement that Sodomy is wholesome, right and acceptable? Ya think?)

"The smart thing for us to do is to meet with these folks and find out where we're at," he said. (No, Chuckie. the smart thing for you to do is to cease confusing your fecally encrusted penis for your moral compass. You coming across as a queer Toucan Sam (Follow Your Wang!) isn't exactly endearing to anyone, except maybe your boyfriend... and your parish priest. By the way -- Strike Three.)

In the meantime, he said, the St. Francis ministry will continue its work independently. (Translation: Go to hell, Bishop Burbidge.)I'm of the opinion that it's past due the time for pruning away and plucking out.

Sounds to me like the Raleigh News is taking its cues from the Gay area, OOPS, I mean Bay Area Reporter.

As for parishioners opinions, only good when they are dissenters, bad when they want what the Church really teaches. Seen this way too many times in the Press.

As for: "Its purpose is not to change their orientation, but to help them find a place in the community," at the parish that is an insult to San Francesco (just like the city is these days). The only place the St. Francis group is helping them find is a place in Hell.

Bravo for the Bishops inviting Courage in, even if it won't be welcomed everywhere.

That "faith community" has always been a pillar of Modernism. It has always been a disgrace to the Church and the Bishop has long since been warned about it. People attend that parish because, and I quote, "it is not too Catholic." In other words, those cultural Catholics, those Catholics baptized in the cradle who don't actually like Catholicism, are able to find a home within the diocesan jurdical structure at St. Francis.

I guess St. Francis serves a purpose in that it provides heretics and schismatics with a false and unjustified peace of mind. Its a place where heretics and schismatics can attend a Mass and actually think they are in full communion with the Church.

Sounds like St. Francis serves as a dating service more than a parish. I assume the pastor their is gay as the hills, too, or maybe a self-hater. I fail to see how leaving someone so obviously unbalanced in charge of any parish is a wise move by the good Bishop. Maybe that will be his next task?

I have always noticed that whenever the press reports on the church, any move towards orthodoxy is seen as divisive. And of course, they press then moves to highlight and praise the divisions existing because of heterodoxy.

BTW--if the ordinary would remove the pastor of St. Francis, and then let the people begin to yell, then impose interdict on the parish--more people would be encouraged and saved, and no Catholic would leave the church over it.

Redneck,Your cure is absolutely correct, but, as I've said before, until bishops learn what the working end of the shepherd's crook is for and stop worrying about hurting people's feelings, souls will continue to be lost.

Courage does not try to get homosexuals to turn into heterosexuals. They try to get them to live with who they are, but according to the Church's teaching. (Of course the cavers here already know that).

OK, your Caveness, only 2 bishops? (refer to a previous post on another thread). I now count 4. (add Oakland and No. Carolina). Maybe 5. There is that bishop in Colorado Springs, CO (I forget his name).